The present invention relates in general to processing systems and, in particular, to a method and system for physically locating a computer in such a network.
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. They have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today""s modem society. Personal computers (PCs) may be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a central processing unit (CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM) and basic input/output system read only memory (BIOS ROM), a system monitor, a keyboard, one or more flexible diskette drives, a CD-ROM drive, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as a xe2x80x9chard drivexe2x80x9d), a pointing device such as a mouse and an optional network interface adapter. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically connect these components together.
A business may establish a network of such personal computers. The network provides for transmission of data. Manageability on large networks allows network administrators to update code (BIOS, OS, drivers, applications) or to inventory assets (memory, HDD, processors). However, it is impossible to determine where the computers are physically located. Since Ethernet is a broadcast medium, there is no mechanism to determine physical location.
This is a large problem for corporations who have thousands of computers on their network. It is important to determine physical location for repair actions, returning computers when leases expire, etc. Conventional solutions allow for the determination of whether if a computer is on the network, not physically where it is located.
Accordingly, a need exists for a data processing system and method to allow a network administrator to remotely determine the physical location (room, floor, building, etc.) of any and all computers attached to the network. The present invention addresses such a need.
A method for determining the physical locations of a plurality of computers in a network is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of wall plates, each of the wall plates for coupling one of the computers to the.network. The method and system comprises providing additional information using a physical layer and logic in each of the wall-plates. The method and system further comprises capturing and storing the system media access controller (MAC) address of the connect computer in the additional logic of each of the plurality of wall plates and storing a physical address of the wall plate in the logic of each of the plurality of wall plates. The method and system also comprises providing a command from the network that will cause the system MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an application in the network.
A system and method in accordance with the present invention adds a low cost physical layer and logic within an Ethernet wall plate associated with the computer on the network. The logic is designed to respond to a broadcast signal to a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) port. In so doing the physical location of the computer can be determined.
In a preferred embodiment, a command is provided from the network that will cause the MAC address and the physical address of at least one of the plurality of computers to be provided to an inventory application in the network, thereby allowing a network administrator to remotely determine the physical location (room, floor, building, etc.) of any and all computers attached to the network.